When A Race Becomes A Race

Who really races during a race? Not many people I know. Usually we all just show up and run to prove to ourselves that we can do those 13.1’s and 26.2’s. But what happens when you start thinking about it like, well, a race?

Here’s the thing. I am not trying to win the race obviously. I’m not trying to place in my age group. But I am trying to beat THAT guy. Yep, I said it. And I don’t think I’m alone here. Everyone has that one person that they want to, or have to, beat. Everyone thinks to themselves, “It’s fine if I don’t get my 8 minute miles, just so long as I don’t finish behind THAT guy.” And this guy could be anyone. A total stranger. Someone you see for the first time on the course the day of. Or, you know, it could be that guy you really hate, the one who’s been talking smack for the past 3 months, the one who talks to you like you haven’t run a race in your life. And all of a sudden you start telling yourself – that guy’s going down!

You know… someone like that.

I’m all for a sense of community, that we’re all in it together. Just not this time. This time I have a mission. And my mission is to let my run speak for itself. And I hope my run says “Hey asshole, shut up with your smack talk because nobody can hear you 30 minutes down the line.”